The Step Parent
by XV
Summary: Response to a Dialogue Prompt in the Poke the Muse Ficathon 2013 on LJ. The prompt is the last line of the story.


**The Step Parent. **

**By XV**

3rd Annual Poke the Muse Ficathon 2013 Live Journal DWP Com - The response to girlsrmusic's dialogue prompt, which is in italics below.

**Rating:** G

**Disclaimer:** The usual: don't own 'em, don't make nothin' for playin' with 'em.

Andy loved Miranda, she loved the twins, she loved her job, she even loved Patricia the big slobbery fur ball; in short, she loved her life. Moving in with Miranda and the twins had been a dream come true, and she cherished every moment with them. That's not to say there weren't challenges, not everything was roses and sunshine, problems did arise, especially when navigating the expectations and boundaries of a ready-made family.

Without being smug about it, Andy felt she'd successfully avoided the wicked step-mother trap, establishing a healthy balance between being a friend to the twins and maintaining her role as a recognised authority figure in their lives. A fact she felt was admirably demonstrated by her recent assertion that the girls take their fair share of responsibility for Patricia's care and maintenance. Andy knew the girls couldn't walk the huge dog or even give her a bath, Patricia was just too large, but she had insisted that they took over feeding her and that they start to brush her on a daily basis.

Andy hadn't been surprised that the feeding had been accepted with aplomb but the grooming had resulted in continuous complaints from both girls. Patricia was too big, and too lazy to turn over when they needed her to and she smelled bad when she was due to go to the groomers for her monthly bath and pedicure. Andy had commiserated with them but told them they still had to do it, Patricia was their pet and they were responsible for her. The girls had moaned and groaned, appealed to their mother, who upheld her partner's edict and the girls had grudgingly knuckled down with only the odd grumble here and there.

Andy arrived home almost an hour earlier than she'd expected to when one of her interviews had been cancelled at the last minute. Hanging her coat up and popping her head into the kitchen she saw her lover stirring several simmering pots on the stove. She greeted her with a peck on the cheek and an appreciative sniff over her shoulder.

"Mmmmm something smells yummy." Taking care not to jar the older woman's elbow she nuzzled Miranda's neck just below her ear. "And the dinner smells good too." Miranda batted her stomach and shooed her away from the stove while still stirring the pot at the front of the hob. Andy laughed and set her briefcase on the side table.

"Where are the girls?"

"Upstairs, doing their smelly slave labour brushing Patricia." Miranda smirked at Andy's snort of derision. She'd supported Andy about the feeding and water bowl, but thought the extra grooming a bit excessive given that Patricia still went to the groomers every three to four weeks. Andy refused to react to her lover's mild derision and headed upstairs to change out of her work clothes.

Miranda watched the brunette start up the back staircase and smiled her face a picture of pure contentment. She never ceased to thank any divine being there might exist, for having brought the girl back into her life and the girl's lives. Eighteen months since Andrea had moved into the townhouse with them, and Miranda could no longer imagine their lives without the wonderful woman. She'd been a little worried about how the girls would take this newest parental figure, but her concern subsided almost immediately when she saw how well Andy managed with the twins. She did however enjoy the odd occasion when the girls would completely befuddle the young woman, after all they were her girls and she knew there was a little bit of the devil in them.

Andy made her way down the hallway heading for the master bedroom when she heard a heated debate coming from the bathroom that joined the twins' bedrooms. Popping her head into Caroline's room she heard Cassidy's voice.

"I'm telling you it's not going to work. It'll take hours."

"Caroline just hand me the can. If we do this then we won't have to brush Patricia for months and months. It will totally be worth it."

Andy heard a grumbled acquiescence from Caroline before what sounded like someone spraying whipped cream all over a large pie. She moved quickly across the room and threw open the bathroom door. The sight that met her eyes made her jaw hit the floor. Half of the huge St. Bernard looked like the Pilsbury Doughboy all white and fluffy covered in shaving cream. Two red heads looked on in surprise, one with her hand holding something out toward the huge dog's shoulder where the shaving foam was the thickest.

Miranda nearly dropped the soup tureen she was carrying to the table when she heard Andrea's voice screech from the floor above.

_**"Put down that EpiLady and step away from the dog!"**_


End file.
